1st Quarter Report

After a tough loss on the road their last time out, the Celtics look much better today on their home court. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Jazz 30-15.

If the Celtics keep playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 27-7 in no time. On the other hand, the Jazz will have to make due with a 16-20 record unless they turn things around.

Who’s Playing

Utah Jazz @ Boston Celtics

Current Records: Utah 16-19, Boston 26-7

How To Watch

• When: Friday, January 5, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
• Where: TD Garden — Boston, Massachusetts
• TV: KJZZ-TV 14
• Follow: CBS Sports App
• Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
• Ticket Cost: $117.31

What to Know

The Jazz have enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Boston Celtics at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday at TD Garden. The Jazz have been getting the ball to fall more lately as they’ve increased their point totals each of their last three games.

The Jazz scored the most points they’ve had all season to find success on Wednesday. They secured a 154-148 W over Detroit. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.

The Jazz’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jordan Clarkson led the charge by scoring 36 points along with six rebounds. Lauri Markkanen was another key contributor, scoring 31 points along with seven rebounds.

Meanwhile, the Celtics unfortunately witnessed the end of their six-game winning streak on Tuesday. They took a 127-123 hit to the loss column at the hands of Oklahoma City. The Celtics didn’t live up to their potential and found themselves falling short of the advantage oddsmakers thought they had coming into the game.

Despite the defeat, the Celtics had strong showings from Kristaps Porzingis, who dropped a double-double on 34 points and ten rebounds, and Jayson Tatum, who dropped a double-double on 30 points and 13 rebounds. Less helpful for the Celtics was Jaylen Brown’s abysmal 0-8 three-point shooting.

Utah’s win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-19. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 128.0 points per game. As for Boston, their defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 26-7.

This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Jazz have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 46.1 rebounds per game (they’re ranked fourth in rebounds per game overall). However, it’s not like the Celtics (currently ranked first in rebounds per game) struggle in that department as they’ve been averaging 47.3 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.

The Jazz must know they’re fighting an uphill battle given the 14-point spread they’re up against. They might be worth a quick bet since they’re sitting on a five game streak of covering the spread when playing as the underdog.

Odds

Boston is a big 14-point favorite against Utah, according to the latest NBA odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 14-point spread, and stayed right there.

The over/under is set at 239.5 points.

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Series History

Utah has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Boston.

• Mar 31, 2023 – Boston 122 vs. Utah 114
• Mar 18, 2023 – Utah 118 vs. Boston 117
• Mar 23, 2022 – Boston 125 vs. Utah 97
• Dec 03, 2021 – Utah 137 vs. Boston 130
• Mar 16, 2021 – Utah 117 vs. Boston 109
• Feb 09, 2021 – Utah 122 vs. Boston 108
• Mar 06, 2020 – Utah 99 vs. Boston 94
• Feb 26, 2020 – Boston 114 vs. Utah 103
• Nov 17, 2018 – Utah 98 vs. Boston 86
• Nov 09, 2018 – Utah 123 vs. Boston 115